Not to address the obvious, but: midterms are an absolute drag. The weather starts to become more dreary, all of your classes throw everything at you at once; it becomes so, so easy to lose motivation. More often than not, I find myself going through a slump around the middle of the semester. I fall behind on assignments, my grades start slipping, I lose interest in my activities, and all I want to do is scroll on social media. It becomes a drag just to do the things you want to do. This is what I do to help myself get out of these situations:
Manage Your Time
At times, it might seem like you have a lot to do. Assignments, activities, projects, essays, exams, and that’s just the academic stuff. You might have a job, be on the e-board in your organization, or have other obligations you need to take care of. On top of all that, you still need to live your personal life. It seems like a lot, but with proper time management, it can make everything seem a lot less stressful.
My best friend is my calendar app, and I personally use Notion Calendar. It syncs between all of my devices and my Google Calendar, as well as any Notion dashboards I create. All of my classes, activities, and shifts are entered into my calendar, and I receive notifications 30 minutes before each event starts. Not only does it help me remember when I have to go do something, but it also helps me find my availability when I need to schedule something or when I just want to have some free time.
Another thing I do is track how long I study. In my sorority, we need to study for at least 5 hours each week, or we will be fined. While I thought the requirement was a little silly at first, it has actually helped me so much. Not only does it force me to sit down and work for at least 40 minutes every day, but it also allows me to see how much time I’m putting into my academics, whether to make sure I’m keeping a good pace or if I’m over- or underworking.
Reward Yourself
It’s not bad to occasionally treat yourself! You do, in fact, deserve the $7 ube boba once in a while; it actually might motivate you to do better. One of the theories of motivation coined by B.F. Skinner is that incentives motivate you to do something. And I personally use this theory religiously, even if it means I’m broke all of the time. Oftentimes, if I’m dreading something, I’ll use incentives to motivate myself to go get it done. For example:
“I have this essay I REALLY don’t want to write, but if I get it done, I’ll go get a treat at my favorite cafe!”
I say that to myself, and then I’ll get it done so fast, just so I can go to that cafe.
Sometimes, if a week is REALLY BAD, whether due to personal, academic, or it just feels like it, that’s another reason I’ll go treat myself. And it doesn’t have to essentially be about spending money. You could go to a place you’ve really wanted to check out, give yourself time to watch that K-Drama that’s been on your watchlist for forever, or just reward yourself with some well-deserved rest. You don’t always need to be suffering with work or other things you don’t like, you deserve your time.
Prioritize Your Needs
During the semester, it can be super easy to overwork yourself with all the assignments, essays, tests, and projects you have to do, but at the end of the day, YOU come first. If you don’t feel well–mentally or physically–you’re going to fall behind even more. Remember to get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and take regular breaks.
If you feel yourself start to feel unwell, STOP.
You might think it is better to push through, but really, it’s counterproductive. You’ll gradually keep feeling worse, and then the quality of your work will worsen as well. Get up, take a walk, grab a snack, get some water, rest for a bit, and come back. Not only will you feel better, but your work will also come out much better.
Midterms are one of the roughest points in the entire semester, and beginning to slack off is a slippery slope, but with proper control over yourself and your time, you can (and will) get through it!
Thanks for reading,
Miranda Fisher
Social Media Chair & Editorial Team, Her Campus at UIC
Architecture Major